bigelow



D. E\ BIGELOW.

HYUHOPLANE BOAT.

APPLICAYION FILED MAR. 6. IJH

Patented Sept. 23, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

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.D. E. BIGELOW.

HYDROPLANE BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. s. 1911.

Patented Sept. 23, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

DAVID E. BIGELOW, OF VISALIA, CALIFORNIA.

HYDROPLANE-TBOAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 23, 1919.,

Application filed March 6, 1917. Serial No. 152,759.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID E. BIGELOW, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Visalia, in the county of Tulare and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydroplane-Boats, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference, generally, to boats; and, the invention relates more particularly, to that type of water conveyance technically known as a hydroplane.

The invention has for its dominant object to provide a boat having the hull thereof so constructed as to cause the same, when driven to plane upon the surface of the water, offering but little resistance thereto and requiring a minimum amount of power to produce its maximum speed.

It is also an object of the invention to provide the hull bottom of the boat with air confining runners whereby the bodies of air passing under the hull bottom will serve to buoy the same up, acting in a manner similar to lifting planes, thus, reducing friction considerably.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hydroplane boat so constructed as to permit the same to be used for cruising purposes, hence, affording a boat capable of producing speed to allow the same to be advantageously used for scouting or reconnoitering objects.

All of the foregoing together with additional advantageous details and arrangements of parts of the preferred embodiment of my invention will be clear from the specific description hereinafter contained, when read in connection with the accompanying drawings forming parts thereof, wherein said embodiment of the invention is illustrated for the purpose of facilitating a full understanding of the present improvements.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved hydroplane boat with parts of the same broken away and shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan thereof;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a similar section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a like section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings and in connection with which like reference characters refer to the same parts in the several views, the improved hydroplane boat embodies a hull indicated in its entirety by the numeral 1, the bottom portion of which is provided with the usual longitudinally extending keel 2, while those portions as arranged upon either side of the keel are formed to produce a pair of approximately parallel longitudinally extending air coifining runners or channels, designated 3 an 4:.

The bottom of the hull is provided with a step intermediate its length dividing the bottom into a rear section 5 and a forward section 6 which will have a greater draft than the rear section.

It is to be noted, that the air confining runners or channels 3 and 4 are comparatively shallow at points in proximity of the step of the hull bottom, while the forward portions of the same are materially dee er due to the fact that the keel extends orwardly at an upward incline whereas the side portions of the channels provide side wings extending substantially horizontal as shown in Fig. 2. The forward portions of the wings are curved upwardly as at 7 upon the bow of the hull in such a manner as to serve in the capacity of lifting planes when the boat is traveling or being driven at its maximum or near maximum speed. It is to be noted that the hydroplane surfaces tare separated into airchannels by the keel, the air channels to the rear of the step being shallower-than the channels forward of the step, and the channels aft of the keel merging into one shallow channel. As the boat moves rapidly through the water it will be raised so that the bottom aft of the step will just skim along the surface and therefore friction is reduced and greater speed permitted. By gradually shallowing the longitudinal air confining runners, air passing beneath the forward or bow portion of the boat will be spread out beneath the hull and will serve to reduce friction between the water and the bottom of the hull.

A cabin 8 may be and preferably is arranged upon the hull of the boat and is provided with the usual series of windows whereby the necessary observations may be made therefrom.

A sub-framing, generally indicated by the numeral 9 is arranged within the hull of the boat in spaced apart relation from Upon the flooring of the sub-framing 9 I there is mounted a suitable marine engine designated 10, the power shaft of which extends obliquely therefrom through sultable stufling glands arranged in the hull bottom into engagement with a bearing 11 as carried or aflixed to the said hull bottom. A

propeller 12 is fixedly engaged with theouter extremity of the power shaft and serves for an obvious purpose.

To facilitate steering of the boat, a rudder 13 is pivotally mounted upon the stern thereof in suitable bearings 14 and has engaged with the tiller thereof suitable operating apparatus.

While I have herein illustrated and described with a considerable degree of particularity, constructional details of the boat embodying my invention, it is to be under stood that the invention is not limited to the particular form and arrangement of the several parts which may be modified within a Wide range without departing from the essence of the invention, the construction shown and the description based thereon being intended to be taken in an illustrative rather than alimiting sense.

I claim:

1. A boat hull having longitudinally extending stepped hydroplane members formed on the bottom thereof and constituting a plurality of longitudinally extending air confining channels, said channels gradually shallowing toward the stern and curvedupwardly at the bow.

2. A boat hull havin longitudinally extending stepped hydrop ane members formed on the bottom thereof and constituting a plurality of longitudinally extendin I air confining channels, said channels gra ually shallowing toward the stern and having the side walls thereof diverging toward the same. I

3. ,A boat hull having longitudinally extending stepped hydroplane members formed on the bottom thereof and constituting a plurality of longitudinally extending air confining channels having the side Walls thereof diverging from the bow of the hull toward the stern, said channels gradually shallowing toward the stern and curved upwardly at the bow.

4. A boat hull having a bottom provided with a transversely extending step intermediate its length and having a keel extended from the bow to a point aft of the step, the bottom being curved transversely to provide air channels upon opposite sides of the keel decreasing in depth toward the stern, and after of the keel merging into a single channel extending the width of the bottom.

In testimony whereof,'I aflix my signature hereto.

DAVID E. BIGELOW.

Attest:

ANNA WEIsHAR, D. M. EDWARDS. 

